Receive path performance in receiver-based devices (e.g., computer bus transceivers) may be tested during manufacturing to confirm receiver robustness. Robustness may include an ability to operate with an acceptable bit error rate under particular noise conditions for a period of time. Test time may be limited, however, such that all noise profiles may not be testable in the available test time. Simple tests producing short-term results that coordinate strongly with longer-term results may therefore afford a competitive advantage.
Traditional methods of testing the receiver-based devices may include placing transmitter/receiver pairs in loop-back and performing a data integrity test (used interchangeably hereinafter with bit-enor rate test “BERT”). Since error margins may be small in some high-speed signaling systems, the traditional methods may produce inadequate pass/fail results. Quantitative methods displaying a finer granularity may be required, since a device that passes under a selected set of test conditions may fail under a different, untested set of conditions.